Medical errors can have serious consequences, especially when they involve a patient’s diagnosis.
Two of the most common diagnostic mistakes are misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis. While both involve errors in identifying a medical condition, they have distinct differences in how they occur, their impact on patient health, and their legal implications.
It’s important for patients to understand these differences so they can better advocate for proper care and seek legal options when medical malpractice or negligence is involved.
What Is a Misdiagnosis?
A misdiagnosis happens when a healthcare provider incorrectly identifies a medical condition, leading to patients receiving the wrong diagnosis and, often, the wrong treatment. Misdiagnosis often leads to delays in proper medical care and can cause the actual condition to get worse.
Incorrect treatment can cause severe harm, too, possibly leading to unnecessary surgeries and incorrect medication choices.
Common Examples of Misdiagnosis
- A doctor diagnoses a patient with heartburn when they are actually having a heart attack.
- A physician mistakes migraine symptoms for a stroke, delaying critical treatment.
- A patient with cancer is initially diagnosed with a benign condition, postponing life-saving treatments.
A misdiagnosis can be especially dangerous if the mistaken condition requires treatment that causes further complications. For example, prescribing blood thinners for a patient mistakenly diagnosed with a mild heart condition could be life-threatening if they actually have an undiagnosed internal bleed.
What Is a Missed Diagnosis?
A missed diagnosis happens when a doctor completely fails to identify a medical condition. Instead of giving the wrong diagnosis, they don’t give any diagnosis. This means patients may not get any treatment at all, and their condition is allowed to progress unchecked.
Common Examples of Missed Diagnosis
- A patient with early-stage cancer is told their symptoms are normal, and no further testing is ordered.
- A person experiencing chronic fatigue and pain is dismissed without a clear diagnosis, despite having been previously diagnosed with an autoimmune disease.
- A healthcare professional misses the warning signs of a stroke, sending a patient home instead of to the emergency room for immediate treatment.
Missed diagnoses often occur when symptoms are vague or resemble other (or multiple) conditions.
Sometimes, a lack of thorough testing or failure to take a patient’s concerns seriously leads to critical delays in care.
Key Differences Between Misdiagnosis and Missed Diagnosis
Both misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis result in delayed treatment, but they differ in important ways:
- Misdiagnosis gives the patient the wrong diagnosis, while missed diagnosis provides no diagnosis at all.
- Misdiagnosis often leads to the wrong treatment, while missed diagnosis usually results in no treatment.
- Misdiagnosis can cause direct harm from incorrect medical intervention, whereas missed diagnosis can allow a condition to get worse due to inaction.
In both situations, the consequences can be quite severe. Delays in diagnosing medical conditions like cancer, infections, or heart disease can result in life-threatening complications. Those who receive incorrect treatments may face unnecessary side effects or complications that could have been avoided with a correct diagnosis.
Legal Implications of Diagnostic Errors
Medical professionals are expected to provide a competent and professional level of care. This includes making reasonable efforts to diagnose illnesses correctly.
When a misdiagnosis or a failure to diagnose results from negligence—such as failing to order necessary tests, ignoring symptoms, or misreading lab results—patients may have grounds for a medical malpractice claim.
When Does a Diagnostic Error Become Medical Malpractice?
Not every diagnostic mistake qualifies as malpractice. To prove medical negligence, a patient must show:
- A doctor-patient relationship existed, meaning the doctor had a duty to provide their patient with the accepted level of medical care.
- The doctor failed to meet this accepted standard of care, meaning another competent medical professional would have made the correct diagnosis given similar circumstances.
- The mistake caused harm, such as worsening illness, unnecessary medical procedures, or avoidable complications.
If a misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis causes you serious harm, you may be able to recover compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and the pain and suffering you’ve experienced.
Misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis are two common but serious medical errors. While a misdiagnosis results in the wrong treatment, a missed diagnosis leaves an existing health condition undiagnosed (and therefor untreated).
Both of these can lead to dangerous consequences if a patient’s true illness is left untreated. Patients who suspect a diagnostic error should seek a second opinion and consider their legal options if medical negligence plays a role.
At Wayne Parsons Law Office, we believe that being proactive in medical care can help prevent misdiagnosis, ensure proper treatment, and protect your long-term health.
If you suspect that you or a loved one has suffered an injury due to a misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis, our experienced medical malpractice lawyers are here to help you.